


Mr. In-Between

by dracox_serdriel



Series: Another Chance at the Brass Ring, or Season 9 Fan Fiction [11]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Season/Series 09, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angels, Brotherly Estrangement, Canon-Typical Violence, Case Fic, Destiel - Freeform, Drowning, Established Castiel/Dean Winchester, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Friendly Freaks, Gen, Glasistig, Goats, Green Lady, Kelpies, M/M, Mild Language, Mississippi, Mississippi River, Monster mash, Murder Most Foul, Nightmares, Phoenixes, Revelation is a Bitch, Slash, Transformation by Fire, Vampires, old enemies
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-10
Updated: 2013-05-10
Packaged: 2017-12-23 06:38:19
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 9,317
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/923161
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dracox_serdriel/pseuds/dracox_serdriel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Mississippi River has become home to a series of murders. Benny Lafitte catches the case as he struggles with his lot as a vampire. Sam must reveal his partnership with FBI Agent Dakota 'Dodge' Gage.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. No Recreation

**Author's Note:**

> **Spoilers** : All episodes through 08x20 Pac-Man Fever.

**Columbus, Ohio**. Sam Winchester opened his eyes. He was in a motel room, and he wasn't alone in bed. 

Instinctively, he sat up to gage the room. The motel had a calming geometric theme with warm colors. There were two beds, a table, and the smallest kitchenette possible. On the bedside table, a brochure announced, "The Motley Inn welcomes you to Columbus!"

Next to his elbow, Dodge slept, her hair a mess around her pillow.

Sam wracked his weary brain, forcing it to remember what happened the previous night. He took a deep breath. Dodge had called him, frantically recounting something, and Sam agreed met her in Ohio. 

"I had this dream, it kept coming at me," she had said. "And then I heard your name. Something's coming for you."

Part of him wished he didn't remember every moment of her attempt to explain her dream. At one point, she realized how ridiculous it all sounded and tried to cut and run, but Sam didn't let her. This was too important. 

He didn't say anything last night, not before Dodge collapsed from the pain of another migraine. He gave her painkillers and put her to bed, but she kept waking up, crying out to him. He crawled into bed next to her so she could sleep.

Sam slipped out from under the covers and changed his clothes. She'd need coffee and maybe some whiskey before the day was up. He thought about Chuck, the prophet, but quickly put the idea out of his head. Castiel had been clear: only one prophet could exist at a time. Dodge wasn't even one of the prophets-to-be. 

'What else could this be?' Sam thought to himself. 'She might be a psychic.'

His stomach dropped. Was being a psychic much better than a prophet? He'd met a few well-adjusted psychics, but none of them were employed as FBI Agents.

Just in case she woke before he returned, he grabbed some paper and jotted down a quick note: "Going for food 9:15. Be back soon. SW."

 

 **Outside of Vicksburg, Mississippi**. Emily marched ahead, following the line of the river in the distance. Ted and Tommy trailed behind her, so she paused to let them catch up.

"Come on, boys, step it up!"

"We're coming," Ted droned. 

"Can't we take a breather?" Tommy asked. 

"All right, kids," she said. "Five minutes."

They found refuge in some shade and refreshed themselves with water.

"One more minute," Emily said, tucking her bottle back into her gear. 

"Drill sergeant," huffed Ted.

She didn't hear him, though. The confluence of the Yazoo and Mississippi Rivers drowned out every other sound. Emily's senses sharped. She turned her head. Did she just hear someone call for help? 

"You hear that?" she asked her companions.

"Hear what?" 

Emily didn't reply because she couldn't hear either of them. She was vaguely aware that two people were with her, but otherwise all her senses belonged to the fourth person out by the river, the one yelling for help.

"She needs help."

Ted and Tommy tried to respond to her, tried to talk to her, but she bolted toward the river. Both men heaved their packs to their backs and raced after her.

 

"I don't understand what that means," Castiel said into his cell phone.

"December break, winter recess," Kevin replied. "It starts in the middle of December, goes for three weeks. Then there's a week-long reading period before finals."

"So you have approximately a month off?" Cas asked.

"Yes, basically," Kevin said. "But I'll need to study."

"You believe that time will be sufficient?" 

"Yeah."

The phone beeped. Cas said, "The phone is telling me I have another call."

"Okay, check in with me tomorrow," Kevin said before he hung up.

"Hello? Hello?" Cas said.

"Hey, Cas, it's Sam." 

"Ah, hello Sam."

"I need you to do me a favor."

"Name it."

"Put Dean in a good mood for me."

"A good mood?"

"That's right."

Cas thought for a moment. "I don't know what you mean. Are you suggesting I use my powers to make him euphoric?"

Sam laughed. "No, Cas, not your powers. Just make him happy."

"I thought I was making him happy," Cas said with an air of hurt in his voice.

"No, Cas, you do make him happy," Sam quickly corrected himself. "Look, when I say 'put him in a good mood,' I mean, I've got some news that's gonna piss him off, so the happier he is before I tell him, the better he'll take it."

"So, what do you suggest?" Cas asked. "Pie?"

Sam's hesitation was clear even across state lines. "Cas, I could bring him pie."

"Pie is not sufficient you mean," Cas responded, indicating that he understood. 

"This is something only you can do."

"But not with my powers?" the angel asked. "Do you mean I should please him sexually?"

"Yes, Cas, that's what I mean."

"Why didn't you just say that?"

"Because people don't. It's a euphemism, Cas."

"Ah, I understand," Cas replied. "What bad news?"

"Not really bad news, but it'll piss Dean off."

"Is this about the FBI Agent?"

"He didn't want anything to do with Dodge, but I don't think that's an option anymore. She needs our help," Sam explained. "He's not going to like it."

"I understand. I will do my best to put him in a good mood," Cas said the phrase with as much innuendo as he could muster, making it sound dirtier than Sam thought possible.

"Great, thanks, gotta go," Sam said quickly. "Bye Cas."

 

 **Outside Vicksburg, Mississippi**. Benny Lafitte followed the river. His hat and sunglasses covered most of his skin from the sun, but he still felt it burn. 

Benny was born human. He wasn't supposed to be immortal. He wasn't sure what to do with himself now that he was alive again, and everything he wanted made being a vampire very difficult. He wasn't safe as a hunter because being near human blood shook him up. He wasn't happy as a drifter, but he'd set out on a road trip to lift his spirits anyway. 

When the bodies of vamp kills appeared on his route, he promised himself he'd get to the bottom of it. If he was immortal, he might as well do some good while he was here. He approached the river, and before he saw it, his mind pieced together the scents and sounds and told him to prepare. There was the body of a young woman, completely drained of blood just like the others. He saw her pasty-white complexion almost colorless against the bank of the river.

Benny was wrong. Whatever did this wasn't a vampire. Her neck was slashed open, and not a drop of blood remained in her body. Vampires couldn't manage that level of drainage. That was why Benny was able to control himself enough to cover her with a sheet. Without blood, a body was like a cat or a rock, just there. 

Benny pulled out his phone. He had avoided Dean and Sam and even Castiel. For the last four weeks, he kept his phone off unless he needed to make a call. Even his failed attempts to reach Adebowale back in Purgatory didn't push him to contact Dean, though he suspected the hunter had resources that could help. But right now he was in over his head, and people were dying.

He dialed the police to report the body. As he walked away, he dialed up Dean.


	2. Lost Generation

Dean slept on his stomach, diagonally across the mattress. Castiel sat beside him on the bed and stroked his hand down Dean's back, waking him up.

"Cas?" he said sleepily. 

"Dean."

"Is that, pie?". 

"Yes, cherry. For breakfast."

Dean sat up with blear lingering in his green eyes. "Breakfast in bed?"

"Just pie." 

Dean pulled Cas into a sloppy kiss. The angel made his move, yanking Dean into his lap –

"Wait a minute," Dean said, suddenly alert. Suspiciously, he recounted, "Pie in bed? Back rub?" He narrowed his eyes. "What's going on? What happened?"

"Nothing," Cas said innocently. 

Dean kept silent.

"Sam has news that will upset you," the angel confessed.

"What kind of news?"

"He's been working with an FBI Agent." 

"FBI Agent? The one he said he wouldn't work with?" Dean asked as he stood up.

"Yes, her name is Dakota Gage, but Sam calls her Dodge."

"How long have you known about this?"

"About a month or two."

Dean let out a solid, hollow huff. "Two months? And you didn't bother telling me?"

"I thought Sam already had – "

"And he told you?" Dean demanded. 

"Actually, he didn't. A serial killer threw her off a roof, and he called to me in a panic for healing."

"A serial killer?" Dean repeated. "And you, what, just healed this chick because Sam asked you to?"

"Yes." 

"And you thought you could, what, soften me up with pie and sex before you told me?"

"No, although that was Sam's suggestion."

The angel could tell Dean reeled from that revelation, so he pressed the conversation on. 

"I thought you might respond better hearing it from me," Cas said. Then the angel mustered the most innocent, wide-eyed look he could. 

Dean rounded on him, ready to raise his voice, but then he met Cas's eyes. Those wide, bright, too-blue eyes shut him down.

"Damnit," he muttered. 

"I like those pants on you," Cas said conversationally.

Dean looked down. Cas purchased him a number of gifts, and he felt compelled to keep most of them. The pajama bottoms fit him well and were soft on his skin, so he wore them in spite of the odd little squids icons all over them. 

"Yeah, thanks for them, Cas." 

His phone rang. 

"To be continued. The FBI thing, not the pants," he clarified for good measure.

"Hello?" he said into his phone. "Benny?"

 

 **Vicksburg, Mississippi**. Benny waited outside the Sunrise Moonrise Motel, pacing under the awning. 

"Benny!" Dean said as he pulled the vampire in the hug. "How the hell've you been?"

Benny tentatively returned the hug and made an awkward hello wave to Castiel. 

"I've been goin'," Benny said. "It's bin awhile. You?"

"I'm good," Dean said. "What the hell, man? You come back from the dead and disappear?"

"Sorry 'bout that. Jus', uh, ya know. Hard to be 'round people."

"Even me?"

"I swin' by the cabin in South Dakota to crash, so, uh, righ'," Benny hedged. "I troll the op'n road."

"You called about a case?" Castiel asked. 

"Yeah, an' I don' think I'm up fer it." 

"What're you talking about?" Dean asked.

"I started workin' this case abou' two weeks back," Benny began. "I though' it was jus' a few vamps..."

 

 **Outside of Helena, Arkansas** , two weeks ago. Benny moved down the river, following the screams. The dark couldn't hide the flailing assault of bodies. He sprinted ahead hoping he wasn't too late.

The vampire bit into a young woman's neck, and she threw every appendage she could to resist him.

"Tha's no way to do things," Benny said.

The other vamp twitched. "It's the only way to do things," he said. He threw the woman on the ground, where she lay bleeding. "I'm not just pretending to be a monster, boy."

Benny fanged up. "Neither am I."

He took the other vampire in a tackle and broke the vampire's leg and arm. They tumbled away from the victim, closing in on the river, till Benny pitched the attacker over his head.

Before the vamp could bounce back to his feet, Benny decapitated him.

"You able to get up?" he asked the woman.

She replied, "I, uh, dunno." She was clearly in shock, holding her hands over her neck.

Benny pulled her back onto her own feet. Her attacker hadn't drunk much, so he could stand and walk. All she needed was someone to stitch her up.

His eyes locked onto her blood. It flowed freely, even as she applied pressure. The other vampire hadn't drank much; Benny could have a full meal off her. His teeth were ready, and it'd been a long time since he drank a fresh meal. His brain stopped as the hunger took over. 

"Thank you," she said weakly. "I'm Rian."

"Benny," he replied. Rian smelled good. She was B positive. Not as sweet as AB, but she'd taste so savory - 

Abruptly, Benny crashed to the ground with another body pinning him down. 

"What did you do to Reed?" 

"He's dead," Benny said. He shot Rian a look, "Darlin', you needa run an' don' look back. Now."

Out of the corner of his eye, Benny saw the Rian peel away, leaving him to take care of the second vampire.

 

 **Vicksburg, Mississippi** , now. Benny kept his head down, staring flatly at the ground.

"If that ot'er vampire hadn't... I dunno what woulda happened," Benny admitted.

"But you didn't," Dean said. "And you did the right thing, calling us."

"You tracked this for two weeks?" Cas asked.

"Yeah, bin leavin' bodies like I've never seen."

"You said you thought they were vamp kills, so I'm guessing throat-less?" Dean asked.

"Gotta slash," Benny said as he mimed the wound on himself. "But the bodies, it's no' jus' blood loss. There ain't any blood lef' in them."

"Bloodless? That's new."

"This town has had at least four of 'em. An' whateva is doin' this, it's smart. I can only track its kills, and I've no idea wha' it does with the blood."

"Don't worry Benny, we're on this with you," Dean said, clapping him on the shoulder.

"I'm glad, bu', I gotta bow out," Benny said. "I can' be a hun'er. It's too dangerous. My close call proved it."

"Benny," Dean said, "just, keep in touch okay? I'm sure we can find something to make the blood thing livable. There's gotta be a spell or something. Right Cas?"

Castiel didn't know of anything that would help, but Dean had spent two weeks teaching him a series of behavioral indicators, most of which were about sex. The one Dean currently used was the "Back Me Up Here" signal, and Cas remembered there was only one appropriate response.

Dean's phone rang, and he went to answer it. 

"Uh, right," Cas agreed. "The Men of Letters have extensive material. I'm sure we'll find something."

Benny gave a weak smile. "Thanks, both of ya."

Dean hung up returned to the conversation. "That was Sam, he's down at the coroner's office." He turned to Benny, "You think you can do some general recon? Of the non-violent variety?"

Benny raised his head. "Yeah, I kin do that, brotha."

 

Dean parked the Impala outside the address Sam texted. Cas had been quiet the entire car ride, but as soon as the engine was off, he spoke up.

"You are upset about Benny."

"Can we put a pin about this?"

"As long as we talk about it later." 

"Are you jealous?"

Cas didn't respond, so when they arrived at the morgue, neither was in a good mood. Dean openly scowled at Sam as he introduced them. 

"Riley, this is my partner – "

"Agent Roberts," Dean said.

"This is our forensics guy," Sam said pointing to Cas. 

"Agent Singer," Cas introduced himself. 

"Nerd with a badge," Riley said, making eyes at the angel. "I like it."

Dean immediately didn't like Riley. 

"We're here about the murders," Dean said, emphasizing the last word.

Riley waved them over to the wall and pulled out one of the slabs. 

"I already went over this with Agent Stills, but I don't mind saying it again." He smiled at Castiel, who didn't know any better than to smile back.

Dean asked, "What can you tell us?"

"All the victims were female, found near the river. Slit throat. COD exsanguination. This is our most recent victim, a hiker named Emily Hillsdale. If you want the other three victims are here," he waved his hand up the column, "but they all look the same."

Sam's eyes fell on the doors near him. Three more were labeled. 

"You've had three other recent murders?" Sam asked.

"Uh, no. Suicides."

"Three? And they're all still here?" 

"All turned up in the last week." 

"That about the time the bloodless women appeared?" Dean asked. 

"Yes, but there's no sign of foul play on any of the suicide victims. No ligature marks. No drugs in their system. No cuts or other trauma."

"So you're saying they just, slipped under the water and drowned?" Dean asked. 

"That would be why they were ruled suicides," Riley replied curtly.

"Can I have the files on these?" Sam asked. 

"How about this," Dean said, "you stay here, gather your files, see if there's a connection. We'll chat with the detective on the case."

He walked away with Cas. 

"Bye," Riley said sadly. 

Once they were out of an earshot, Dean paused. "What the hell was that?"

"What was what?" Cas asked. 

"You were flirting with him," he said. "You might as well have made out with him."

"I don't understand," Cas said. 

"Of course you don't," Dean snapped.

"We might be dealing with a kind of Kelpie."

"A what?"

"Kelpie. A water monster. Draws people to the river and drowns them."

"Slashes their necks open?" Dean asked.

"No," Cas said sheepishly. 

"You know what, you stay here and help Sam."

 

Deputy Janice Black met Dean at the door. "You the Fed?"

Dean replied, "How did you guess?"

She smiled and waved him into the building and walked him to a small, dusty office. 

"New office, just moved in, sorry for the mess," she said. 

"My partner is interested in your recent slew of drowning cases as well," Dean said. "And no, I don't know why."

Janice waved her hand to a seat, but Dean declined it. "Been sitting and driving all day, you know?"

"Of course."

She handed him copies of files on the exsanguination cases. She dug through her desk to find the files on the suicides. 

"You notice anyone new around town in the last week?" Dean asked.

"This isn't that small a town, Agent."

"So you've got a steady stream of hikers? Drifters?"

"Not so much with the drifters, but there's a lot of people who keep to themselves."

"Nothing stick out to you?"

Janice gave Dean a piercing look.

"You've got good instincts," Dean explained, "and you're great at this job. I'm guessing whatever's stopped you from the position of Sheriff is just bullshit outta your control. Am I right?"

"How did you come to any of that?"

"I didn't get to where I am by my looks. When you walked me in here, everybody stepped back to give you room. It's pretty clear, people here look to you for answers."

"Nice of you to say, but I'm not one for flattery," she replied. "And no, I haven't noticed anyone suspicious."

"What about motive?"

"No connection between the four murders. Three were hikers from out of town, only one was local," she said. 

"Which one was that?"

"Samantha Kaufman." 

Janice handed him the suicide files. 

"Any connection with these?"

"You mean, like a suicide pact?"

"Three suicides in one week? That's a bit outside the season batting average isn't it?"

"Yeah and all by drowning. It's weird, but the vics have no connection to one another, and the coroner couldn't find anything on them or in them to suggest foul play. So they're down as suicides, and there's nothing else I can do about that."

"But you think there's more to it?"

"A lot more. No ligature marks or blunt force trauma, that's one thing. But these people didn't have any bruising, cuts, or anything. I had the coroner chech just in case, but the water in their lungs is from the Mississippi." 

"You don't think they drowned in the river?"

"If they did, they should be beat to hell, you know, scrapped up, from the current. But they're not. They were found on the bank drown in pristine condition."

"Thanks, Deputy Black," Dean said. "Call me if anything new pops up on your radar."

"Will do, Agent. Just do me a favor. Figure this one out quickly."


	3. Shades of Green

Dean wasn't sure when his life became so screw up. Just yesterday he'd been happy, over the fucking moon even. Today, Sam copped to working with a Fed behind his back. Castiel flirted with a dweeby coroner, and Benny wanted to run and hide from him -

His brain stopped. He had the feeling something was stalking him, following him, sizing him up. He took a moment while stopped at an intersection to gage his surroundings.

A dark colored goat with amber eyes stared straight at him. It was just beyond the road, by itself. It gave him the creeps.

He turned left and tried to forget about it.

From outside The River Canteen, one of the local watering holes, Benny looked up from his perch. He heard the roar of the Impala coming closer.

"Hey Benny, you find anything?" Dean asked.

"Nah, most of the locals thin' there's a spiri' protectin' the river," the vampire replied as he climbed into the passenger seat. "Only one local died, so mos'ly they don't talk 'bout it."

"Your stuff's at the motel, if – "

"Yeah, that'd be good."

Dean pulled out.

"Look, I remember last time, you had a rough go out in the world, and I don't want that to happen again," Dean said. "But you've been dodging me for weeks."

"Dodgin' is a rough word. I jus' don' fit anywhere, you know that."

"I'm not letting that happen again. We've got resources, and we'll find something. Just don't drop off the map on me is all I'm saying."

"I know what yer sayin'," Benny said fondly. "And I'm glad for it. Don' ge' me wrong, I wanna be there, but it's jus' too much. To be 'round people all the time, bein' what I am."

"I know that feeling," Dean muttered. "I mean it, Benny, we'll figure it out. We'll cure you if that's what it takes."

Benny laughed. "Sur' Dean, if only."

 

"You told him?" Sam repeated, pulling the pickup into the motel parking lot. "Cas, I should've been the one to tell him, now he'll be pissed at both of us – "

"Yes, he is," Cas admitted. "I thought he'd take it better from me. But now he's upset with me for something, and I don't understand what."

"It's because of Dodge. He's looking for some reason to be mad at you, any reason. Don't push on this one, Cas, let me handle it."

"Now you're upset with me as well?" Cas asked.

"No, I'm just – this is gonna be hard enough," Sam fumbled.

They got out of the truck and headed for the room in a stiff silence. 

"Maybe we should just stick to the case?" Castiel offered.

"We can try."

Sam opened the door to find Dean stretched out on his bed with a beer. 

"You find anything?" Dean asked without moving. 

Sam unloaded the files and notes he had onto the table. 

"All three of the drowning victims had records for poaching," Cas said. 

"The first exsanguinated victim was a local – " Sam began.

"Samantha Kaufman," Dean said. "Deputy mentioned her."

"The others were hikers or tourists," Sam continued. "All had been cited for poaching or vandalism, other than that, there's – "

"They were all women," Cas interrupted. "And all the drowning victims were men."

"Right, and the last vic, the one Benny found, she and two partners were on a hike. Both are still missing."

"So, what're we talking 'bout here?" Dean asked. "Benny said the locals babbled about a river guardian, which fits with the whole poacher thing."

"I dunno. I dug into other local deaths, and found that our local bloodless body, Samantha, was mother to Amanda Kindle, who died a little over a week ago – "

"Drowning?" Dean asked.

"No, the flu," Sam said. "Or that's what they thought until they opened her up for an autopsy and found she had stage four cancer – "

Dean interrupted, "You said a little over a week ago? So that's before the other murders?"

"Yes, two days after her death, Amanda's mother was killed," Cas said.

"Maybe Amanda's ghost?"

"Ghost doing exsanguination?" Sam asked. "That's new."

"She got any relatives nearby?" Dean asked. 

Sam pulled out her file. "A husband and five kids."

"That sucks," Dean muttered. Finishing his beer, he sat up and said, "We should check the husband out. Could be a witchy thing."

 

"Dean, it's not like I was lying," Sam said.

"I told you I wanted nothing to do with her," Dean said, "and you agreed. Then you said you'd never call her. Meanwhile, you've been taking cases from her."

"She gave us the case with the nightmares, the one that showed you it was Benny – "

"How much does she know?" Dean interrupted.

"What?" 

"She knows about Cas, so she knows about angels. Did it ever occur to you she could be really shady? Did you think what could happen to Cas if someone wants to poke some angel dust?"

Sam couldn't let that one go. "Poke some angel dust? Dean, you are the only one poking his angel dust, trust me on that one – "

"Don't make this some cute thing – "

"I'm not. Dodge doesn't know about Cas. He healed her and left, and she never saw him. And I didn't tell her about angels."

"And if there's a fall out? What'll happen to you?"

"I dunno, but I trust her."

"You trust her?"

"Yeah, I do," Sam snapped. "This isn't like before, when there was demon blood or I was missing my soul, okay? My instincts are just as good as yours, and I trust her."

"Seems like more than trust," Dean pushed Sam out of the way. "Stow it, we need to figure out this case."

Dean strolled up to the house of Jason Kindle. They could hear the sounds of children playing. 

"Awesome," Dean whispered as he knocked.

Jason Kindle was a tall, square man with a good-natured face. He waved the two brothers into his threadbare living room. 

"We're here to talk to you about Samantha Kaufman, your mother-in-law."

Jason lowered his eyes. "Yes, of course."

"Must be hard, losing her so soon after your wife," Dean said. "We're both sorry for your loss."

"Jason!" a woman's voice yelled. 

"I'm in here with guests," he yelled back. "Sorry – "

A young woman walked into the living room. She wore dark green attire that matched her emerald eyes, and her heart-shaped face warmed the room. She carried a young boy, maybe about two-years-old. 

"Ethan's got a fever," she said. 

"Lane could you take him upstairs? Put him to bed?" Jason asked. 

"Of course, but he wants you to read to him," Lane replied.

"I will, once I'm done here."

She nodded to them and disappeared upstairs.

"I'm sorry we have to ask," Sam said, "but is Lane the reason you had a falling out with your mother-in-law?"

Jason looked surprised. "No, uh, my wife, Amanda. She was sick. For a long time, and we didn't know. I didn't, anyway. I think she might've near the end. Her mother blamed me, said I should've taken better care of her. She threatened to cut me out of her family's estate after Amanda's death."

Sam comforted Jason. "Pancreatic cancer is very difficult to detect. I'm sure she knew that, she was just upset over her daughter."

"I hope so," Jason mumbled. 

"Did she?" Dean asked.

"Did she what?"

"Cut you out of the estate?"

"No," Jason replied. "Well, technically I guess. But the kids, they're all still a part of it, and that's what really matters."

"I'm sure," Sam said sincerely before Dean could speak. "Sorry we have to ask, but about Lane?"

"Oh, right. I met her after Amanda's funeral. She managed to get Ethan to be still for more than five seconds. She's great with the kids, and she offered to nanny for me for room and board, till we got the will and things figure out."

"When was this?"

"Just over a week ago."

"Can I use your bathroom?" Dean asked.

"Uh, sure, just a few doors down."

Sam awkwardly pressed ahead, trying to assess if he was a witch, or cursed, or haunted. Dean headed over to the bathroom, his EMF reader handy. 

He crashed into a boy about ten. He reminded Dean of Ben, Lisa's son, and it bothered him. 

"Hi," Dean said. "I just need the bathroom."

"It's over there," said the kid. "You're an FBI Agent?"

"Yeah."

"You carry a gun?"

"You bet."

"Cool."

"I'm Dean."

"Jeremy."

Lane yelled from outside, "Jeremy! Need your help!"

"Sorry, gotta go." 

Dean wondered why she was outside and not with fever-child, so he discretely crept upstairs. Fever-kid was asleep. Dean poked around, scouting for anything occult or otherwise witchy. There was nothing but kids toys and clothing. 

His phone rang, so he silenced it. After he want back downstairs, he answered it, so as to not wake the sick kid.

"Yes?" Dean said.

"This is Deputy Janice Black," she said. "We got another body."

 

Benny packed his camper. He didn't want to leave, but he couldn't stay. If Dean was right, if there was hope, then he wanted it, but hope was one of those things. If you reach for it and it's not there, you'll be dangling off a cliff you can't come back from.

Fire and ash blasted everywhere, and a young woman was next to him.

"An' you are?" Benny asked.

"My name is Kuravi," she replied. "We met briefly."

"We didn'."

"I've been keeping an eye on you since I raised you out of Purgatory," Kuravi said. "Wasn't sure if you'd wanna talk to me."

"You raised me? I thought tha' was the angel – "

"Castiel," Kuravi said. "Yes, he asked me to."

"That's it? Some guy asks you to raise a vampire and you jus' jump for it?"

"He told me you were a vampire but not a monster."

"I'd sure like tha' tuh be true," Benny said. "But let's face it – "

"You don't like being a child of Eve," Kuravi observed. "I can help you."

"Really? How's that?"

"I can make you human again."

Benny laughed. "I've fed as a vampire. A lot. There's nothin' that can cure me."

"You can become human. It's not only possible, but, to be honest, that part's easy."

"Tha' part?"

"The transformation of the body," Kuravi said. "I can do that, no problem."

"Wha's the problem then?"

"The soul. Said it yourself, you've fed. If I healed you, made you human again, your soul would bear the weight of your deeds as a vampire."

"I'd still go to purgatory?" Benny asked.

"Hell's more like it," Kuravi said, "as you'll be human, and judged as one."

Benny shook his head. "I am wha' I am an' Purgatory, let's face i', is be'er than Hell."

"I know that. I didn't approach you to give you bad news."

"Bu' you jus' did."

"I mean, there's something to be done about the soul, that's the hard part."

"You're sayin' you can etch-a-sketch the sin off my soul?" Benny asked. 

"No, don't be ridiculous. Only you can do that."

Benny wasn't sure what Kuravi was or who she was. He couldn't trust most people and certainly not most monsters. 

"You can atone for your acts, but it needs to be done while you are a vampire, before you become human again." 

"I've gotta think about this," Benny said. 

Kuravi handed Benny a red-and-golden feather. "Hold this and call my name," she said, "and I'll hear you."

 

"Name's Theodore Ramstein," Janice said. 

His body was exsanguinated but also hacked and slashed. 

"Whoever's killing folks got a lot more violent," she said. "Don't ask me how all the blood is gone, I don't know."

"This is the first man bled out," Sam said. "Maybe the killer had to work harder to subdue him."

"According to the boys back at the station, Ted here was bad news. And he was one of the hikers out here with Emily Hillsdale, who we found earlier today."

"Bad news?" Dean asked.

"Charges of child abuse, which will now never have to be investigated."

Dean had that feeling again. He turned his head and glanced around. Someone was watching him. Then he saw it, that goat – 

"Agent?" Janice said. "You need anything else?"

"Uh, no, thanks." 

"Any sign of the third man they were hiking with?" Sam asked. 

"No, let's hope he fairs better."

 

 **Washington, D.C.** Two men, thin and dirty, shook shackled in a stone building. They had long beards and were unkempt; maybe they had been held captive for a long time. The world shook. Aldridge Cemetery. The world broke. The day passed by, and as dusk fell, the two men screamed. They begged. They died. The world blasted apart – 

Dodge fell out of her bed. Last night, she woke up every hour, on the hour, with a new element of that same dream. Yesterday it had been an annoyance, but now, it's like she couldn't sleep at all. The dream just wouldn't let her. 

According to Sam, the other dream had been true. What if this one was, too? Aldridge Cemetery. She knew that place. It was in D.C.

She grabbed her phone.

"Hello?" her partner responded.

"Marie, I got a tip," she said. "About two people being held captive in a cemetery."

"Dodge, it's ten at night."

"I'm sorry. I didn't – "

"I'm glad you called, don't get me wrong," Marie interrupted. 

"It can wait."

"No," Marie said, "people tied up in a cemetery? That's a new kind of fucked up. You know who they are?"

Dodge considered this, and her dream surged. "Just that they're scared."

"You wanna check it out first?" Marie asked. 

"Yeah, I trust the tip but I'm not sure the source will be taken seriously by anyone else."

"You take it seriously, I take it seriously. I'll pick you up in half an hour, sound good?"


	4. Sailboat in a Bottle

Cas rode shotgun in the Impala. Dean said he needed some air, but what he really needed was his own Sam-free state. The angel insisted on accompanying him, and sure enough, not even a few minutes on the road – 

"Why are you so angry with your brother?"

"He lied to me about the FBI Agent. For months. He's worked cases with her, gotten cases from her, and he knows nothing, nothing about her. She can be playing him."

"The dreams she had was very real," Cas said. "Almost prophetic."

"But she's not a prophet."

"No, but some psychics, some gifted people, have that ability. She needs our help."

Dean rolled his eyes. "You're missing the point."

"No, I understand. You feel betrayed at your brother's lie, but having recently lied a great deal to him I thought you'd be more willing to forgive."

"Don't even, this isn't the same – "

"That's true, when you lied you nearly died as a result."

"Do you have any idea what that woman could do to us?" Dean asked. "We impersonate FBI Agents. When we solve a case, it usually means we leave at least one body in our wake. Her knowing about us is the last thing we need."

"She hasn't arrested you so far, why would she suddenly do it now?"

"Cas – "

"I understand what's going on here, Dean," the angel interrupted. "You are upset with Sam for lying, but he thought she could help him do more good."

"Yeah, but he didn't – "

"He did think about the repercussions, and he still does."

"You ask me, he's crushing on her, and he can't – "

"Crushing?"

"Has feelings for, likes – "

"Like you and me?"

"No, like, before you date someone, you're attracted to them, you crush on them," Dean said. 

He turned the car around. A drive wouldn't help him clear his head, not with Cas working his Dr. Phil. 

"I see. That would make sense."

"None of this is making sense, Cas!"

"You should forgive him." 

Pulling back into the motel lot, Dean parked the Impala and avoided eye contact. 

Castiel placed his hand on Dean's shoulder, grasping it tightly. 

"Cas, please, don't – "

"Dean," Cas interrupted. "I want you to forgive your brother."

"It's not that simple."

"Yes it is."

"Cas – "

"I will do anything."

Dean turned his head to meet the angel's eyes. It was only then he saw the expression on Castiel's face. He wasn't oblivious about what he just said. He meant it, and every possible implication. 

Dean realized he hadn't responded for almost a minute. "Anything?" he asked. 

"Anything," Cas repeated deliberately.

 

"Hey, Sam," Benny said from the doorway. 

"Benny, I thought you left this afternoon?" 

"Planned to, but I, uh, needa word with Cas."

"He and Dean should be back soon. At least the Impala's back."

"Then I'll jus' go to – "

"You don't wanna do that," Sam warned. 

"I don'?"

"I don't know if they're fighting or fucking right now," Sam said flatly. 

"Tha's an awfully colorful way 'o tellin' me," Benny said. "Shoulda seen tha' one comin', though, huh?"

"I thought you already knew," Sam replied sheepishly. "Uh, so, how have you been?"

"Dealin'," he said. "And you?"

"All kinds of crazy but for the most part okay, thanks to you. Your warning saved our asses," Sam answered. 

Cas and Dean joined them.

"We gonna sit down and talk or hang around awkwardly?" Dean asked.

"Sorry, I was jus' lookin' to say goodbye fer now and have a moment with the angel," Benny said.

"Bye Benny," Dean said.

Cas walked away with the vampire, and Dean joined his brother at the table. 

"So this case," Dean said, "what do we know?"

"Something's killing people near the river. It seems to target poachers and trespassers. Sometimes it drowns them, sometimes it bleeds them dry. Not much else to go on. Maybe a curse?"

Cas returned and closed the door behind him. 

"What did Benny want?" Dean asked.

"He had questions about his resurrections and Kuravi," Cas replied.

"That bitch," Dean said. 

"She's not a bitch."

"That chick had us release a monster mash from the depths of the earth, saying it was just a few angels," Dean spat. 

"She didn't know," Cas argued.

"You believe that?"

"Yes."

"How?"

Cas shrugged. "Benny has been trying to contact Adebowale in Purgatory, to see if he is the one sending you dreams now," Cas added.

"You're still having nightmares?" Sam asked.

"No," Dean replied. "They're not nightmares. Not like the other ones. They're just names."

"Names?" Sam asked. "Like that last one you followed that got your leg blown off?"

"Maybe we should focus on the case," Castiel suggested. "There's still one hiker missing. He might be alive."

"We've got a lot of nothing. Jason's new nanny has got suspicious timing, but she's living in a house full of kids and none of them are maimed or dead."

"Evil Clown didn't kill kids," Sam said. "Just the parents."

"This thing feeds too frequently to be a Rakshasa," Dean dismissed. "Honestly, the only thing weirding me out is a goat."

Sam and Cas considered Dean in confusion. He remembered he hadn't mentioned the goat to anyone.

"Could be a chimera-with-goat facade?" Dean suggested.

"I think you both need some sleep," Cas stated.

 

 **Washington, D.C.** In the dawn light, the cemetery looked violated, covered in crime scene tap, orange cones, and flashing lights. 'People shouldn't mess with the dead,' Dodge thought to herself.

Marie flashed her badge at the overly rigid officer standing guard. "Special Agent Marie Acevedo. I'm on this case."

The officer let her pass.

"How are they?" she asked.

"Both of the victims are alive, thanks to you and your tipster," Marie replied. "Working on a composite sketch, but I might be able to do you one better."

"Please tell me it's fingerprints," Dodge said. 

"Fingerprints in the system," Marie replied. "One Samuel Gregor, record for petty theft, assault and battery, mostly small time stuff."

"He's local?"

"Yeah, figured you wanna check it out with me."

"You bet yer ass."

 

Prodding jolted Dean out of his sleep.

"Cas?" Dean asked.

"You awake?"

"I guess."

Cas pulled him to a sitting position. "About that goat. We need to talk. Are you awake?"

"I think so – goat?" 

"You mentioned seeing one, called it, uh, creepy," Cas said. 

"Yeah, randomly in town when I was picking Benny up, and then again at the newest crime scene. Just the one goat."

"We need to see if there are other victims."

"If there were others, we'd know."

"Not if they didn't die," Cas said. "We need to see if there were any other lost hikers."

"Lost hikers?"

"Anyone lost, really, out at that river."

Dean got on his feet and tumbled over to Sam. He prodded and repeated, "Sam! Wake up!" 

His brother rolled over. "What?"

"We need some nerd help, here, okay? Wake up!"

"You do it!"

"You lied to me about FBI-Agent-women for months! You do it!" 

"That's the card you're playing?"

"We need information on lost hikers, the police may not have it," Cas said. "Anyone who got off track and lost near that river in the last week."

"All right, all right, I'll do it," Sam muttered. "But you don't get to play that shit again, okay?"

"Deal," Dean agreed.

Sam got through his morning ritual crazy fast and zipped out the door like a hummingbird. 

Once he was gone, Dean pulled Cas onto the bed, curling up so he didn't have to meet his eye.

"Can we talk about Benny?" Dean asked.

"I don't see why not."

"You were jealous yesterday," Dean said playfully.

"No."

"I'm worried. He's not good Cas."

"He's struggling with himself."

"You're not worried?"

"Benny's stronger than you give him credit for."

"Doesn't change the fact that last time he was this messed up, he went to Purgatory and used himself as bait. He didn't wanna come back."

"You think that's what happened?"

"Yeah."

"Dean, he's just trying to figure out how to make his life worthwhile. Being immortal, that's difficult. He sacrificed himself to save your brother in Purgatory."

"How did you – "

"Sam told me."

"Of course he did. I just don't wanna make the same mistakes, leaving him out in the cold."

"He's not. He's got a mission now," Cas said. "With your dreams. And we'll see if we can make him human again."

"Right."

"And I made him promise to call you once a week."

Dean turned around and looked Cas in the eye. "When?"

"A little after you accused me of being jealous of your friendship with him."

 

 **Washington, D.C.** Samuel Gregor's apartment was on the fifteen floor of a building with no elevator. Dodge brought a few officers and some forensics guys, nothing fancy and no SWAT. She wanted to surprise this guy.

"The door," Marie said as they came to Apartment 1529. It was cracked open.

Dodge nodded. She and her partner both drew their guns. 

"Follow me," Dodge said, as she pushed into the room, covering the tiny apartment with Marie backing her up.

"It's clear," Dodge said. "And we've found Gregor."

"Call this in," Marie said to the officer.

Gregor's body dangled from the ceiling, his wrists slashed and his neck broken. 

"He was thorough," Marie commented. "Set his noose, cut his wrists, then knocked out the chair."

"Is that even possible?" 

"He did the left wrist first, that's why the right one isn't really cut," Marie replied. "You see anything?" 

Dodge had already started assessing the apartment. "This guy has a lot of occult objects. Hardcore, actually. Old-school."

"A witch?" Marie asked playfully. "With overkill."

"Or just a collector, I dunno," Dodge replied. She used her phone to snap a few discrete photos. Something about the arrangement of the shelves was wrong. There were large gaps, like things were missing. Maybe this guy was more than just a person into the occult. 

Dodge rounded back to Marie. 

"So, you think his plan went bad, he figured out he was screwed when we found his little cage at the cemetery, so he offed himself?" Dodge asked.

"Unless the coroner gives us reason to believe he was murdered," Marie said. "Wrapped up in a nice bow."

"I hate little bows."

"I like little bows, makes my life easier."

"Wanna let forensics take over?"

She and her partner packed it in and stepped out of the apartment. Marie's phone rang. 

"Gotta take this one," she said as she stepped away.

Dodge hadn't been so sure about her dream-as-prophecy, but how could she ignore them now? Two people in a building in a large cemetery in DC? That was too specific to be coincidence. She didn't want to be psychic or prophetic or whatever the hell Sam had said in Columbus, but she didn't seem to have a choice.


	5. Sodas & Schooling

Sam returned to find his brother eating burgers for breakfast. 

"You find anything?" he asked.

"Half a dozen hikers have gotten lost recently," Sam replied. "I mean, seriously, seriously lost."

"Did you speak to any of them?" Castiel asked.

"Yeah, that's what took so long."

"And?" 

"Nothing. Two reported a woman in distress. They went to help her, got off the path, then suddenly were completely disoriented. Two of the others I talked to said they saw a lost animal, one identified it as a goat. One other guy said he wasn't sure why, he just felt called away. I'm pretty sure he was lying, though. I think he saw something that freaked him out."

"I think I know what we're dealing with," Cas said. "A Glaistig."

"A what now?" Dean asked.

"Colloquially she's called a Green Lady."

"Green Lady? Those are just bogeys, tall tales," Sam said. 

"The Glaistig have been gone for centuries."

"Maybe she's one of the fun extras we released from the catacombs of the earth," Dean suggested. 

"That's likely," Cas said.

Sam opened his computer and began typing. 

"What else? About the Green Ladies?" Dean asked Cas.

"The Glaistig appears sometimes as a woman dressed in green, other times as a goat, and sometimes as something between the two. Most Glaistig find a home and protect it. They drain the blood of some for nourishment. Sometimes they trick people into drowning."

"That fits with our kills," Sam said. "According to lore, she can be killed if we consecrate the ground where she lives."

"That's not right," Castiel said. "That won't kill her. It would just drive her out of this place."

"Okay, hold on..." Sam scanned through the rest of the document. "Here we go. To kill a Green Lady, you must piece her heart with a spear tipped with brass or copper."

"You said dressed in green?" Dean asked Castiel.

"Yes," the angel replied.

"And they work like a familiar? Protecting a household?" Sam asked Cas.

"It's uncommon. Usually they protect a stretch of land." 

"But it can happen? One could set up shop with a family."

"Yes, that has happened," the angel confirmed.

"Dressed in green, sound like someone we've seen?" Dean asked his brother.

"Lane."

"Who?"

 

Cas trailed behind the brothers as they approached the house of Jason Kindle. Sam knocked on the door, and Jeremy popped his head out.

"You're back," he said to Dean.

"Yeah, uh, Jeremy, we're looking for your nanny, Lane," Dean replied. 

"She's out for a walk, and my dad's not home. I'm not supposed to let anyone in."

"That's okay," Sam said. 

"You know where Lane goes for her walks?"

"No. Is she in trouble?"

"No, we just need to talk to her," Dean lied. "Thanks, Jeremy."

Cas was already back in the Impala. 

"Okay, we gotta plan B to find this bitch?"

"Glaistig are creatures of habit," Cas said. 

"You think she's down at the river?"

"If she's not here," Cas said. 

"If that's all we got, we'd better go," Sam said.

 

 **Mississippi River**. They waited outside by the river where all the bodies were found. The sun moved. The wind blew. Silence. 

"Awesome," Dean muttered. 

It wasn't until late afternoon that Dean had that feeling again. Someone had eyes on him. 

"There it is!" 

The creepy goat wasn't far off, and he needed to spear the damn thing. 

Cas grappled Dean and threw him on the ground.

"What the hell're you doing?" Sam asked. 

"This is what she does, Sam, she lures people astray," Cas said. 

"We've gotta second problem," Sam added.

"What?" Dean asked from the ground.

"That kid, uh, Jeremy?"

Dean looked up and saw him wandering the banks. 

"Did he follow us here?" Dean asked.

"It's possible."

"Okay, I get the kid, you two deal with the she-goat," Dean ordered. 

Dean handed his spear off to Castiel. Sam gripped his own and nodded. They broke off, and Dean moved to the river to grab the kid.

"Jeremy!" he yelled. "Get away from there!"

But Jeremy was already too close. His feet lost their grip, and with a splash, he fell in. 

Cas and Sam headed straight for the goat, which now looked more like a faun. Sparks fill the air. It was suddenly difficult to think. Sam shook it off. 

Cas, on the other hand, was entranced. He couldn't take his eyes of Lane, and he dropped his spear. She transformed into a woman and dragged Castiel like a helpless kitten to the river. 

Sam snapped awake. He rushed and tackled her. The angel dropped helplessly to the ground. From his position, Sam saw Dean drag Jeremy to the shore downstream. 

"You see that?" he said to Lane. "That man who just saved Jeremy, one of your charges?"

Lane threw Sam off of her and got to her own feet.

"That guy right there his love. And you're just gonna kill him? After what Dean just did for you?"

Lane wavered between Castiel and Sam. She desperately wanted to drown the man who came to kill her, but Sam's words made her think. Thinking always took time –

Her thoughts were interrupted by a squelching sound from Sam plunging the spear into her heart. She looked into his eyes reproachfully. The emerald color turned amber, then the shape changed, and then, Lane was no more than an impaled goat. 

"Sammy, you guys okay?" Dean yelled from downstream.

Cas stood up, still a little drugged. 

"Yeah, we're good."

 

 **Beatrice, Nebraska**. Benny pulled into a secluded spot. He'd been driving a long time just to clear his head. He kept to the shade and pulled out Kuravi's feather. 

Flame and ash announced her arrival. 

"Benny," she said. "Glad you called."

"I'm not sayin' I'm comfor'able wit' all this," Benny said. "But I'm willin' to hear ya out."

"To begin, you must stop drinking human blood," Kuravi said. "Animal blood only."

Benny shook his head. "You thin' I haven' tried? If I don' drink human blood, bein' around people's impossible." 

"Once you've been off it a full week, purged yourself of it, you'll find the opposite is true."

"Purge myself?"

"Fasting for a week, then starting on animal blood. Cow is best. Cut it with this, and the transition will be easier on you."

She handed a jar of her own ashes. 

"So this special sauce will jus' purge me?" Benny asked. "Bit of wit'drawl an' that's all?"

"You know better," Kuravi replied. "You'll be weaker. More human. You'll be in-between the two states. That's why the hunger goes away."

"Wha's after that?" Benny asked. "Before I git my feet wet. I needa know."

"For the other two tasks, you'll need to keep off human blood. Except for your own, you can't consume any blood from a person for any reason," she said.

"I git that."

"There is a quest. Retrieving a special object, saving an important person, something like that, in the name of a cause."

"Any cause will do?" Benny asked.

"It can't be self-serving," she said. "You rescue a friend from a fire, that's not enough. It has to be an enemy or a stranger."

"All right, and the last thing?"

"You must come to terms with your legacy as a vampire," Kuravi said. "Anyone you've turned. Everyone you've killed."

"And if I don't know all of them?"

"There are many rituals you can use to identify your victims, your offspring," Kuravi said, "and their offspring, if they have any. For the sake of disclosure, all of these rituals are painful."

"'Course they are," Benny said.

"But they work."

"And that's it? I do that, I can getta clean slate? Be human?"

"There's no such thing as a clean slate, Benny. That's the price of free will, but the judgment on your soul will start with your transformation back to human."

"I'll do it," he said. 

"Once you start, you cannot stop. There are no do-overs. If you fail, I can make you human, but – "

"I understand," Benny said. "To be clear. This doesn't involve dark magic, or killin' people, or human souls bein' eaten, or anythin' crazy like that?"

"No. It's a process of healing. Nothing to do with magic," Kuravi replied.

"I kin call on you?"

"When you're ready," she said. 

"Righ', thanks."

"Benny, so you know, I think he's right."

"Who?"

"Castiel, the angel. He said you weren't a monster, and I've watched you. I agree with him. You need to believe that, too, to get through all this."

Benny managed a weak smile. "I'll do my best."

 

Dean and Sam packed their motel room. 

"I'm taking the truck," Castiel announced, brandishing Sam's keys. He bolted out the door. 

"Hey!" Sam yelled. But Cas was gone, and it seemed futile to run after him. 

"Guess you're giving me a lift," Sam said to Dean.

"Damnit, Cas, you bastard."

"Withhold sex."

Dean twisted around, his face confused. His brother had picked on little things about their relationship, but he hadn't joked about their sex life, not like this.

"We both know if it was anyone else, or if Cas was a woman, I'd've said that sooner," Sam said. 

Silence. Dean broke out into a haze of laughter. Sam joined him.

 

Sam sat behind the wheel, happy to drive the Impala. Ever since he got that truck, he missed driving it. 

"For the record," Dean said, "I get it."

"What?"

"The FBI Agent."

"Her name is Dodge."

"Okay, Dodge. I'm just wondering, is this a job for you? Or is it more than that?"

"It's nice to have her on our side."

"You like her."

"Yeah, I do," Sam said. 

"Either way, guess we should help her with these dream things. Started recently?"

"About two weeks ago."

"Doesn't seem fishy to you?"

"Fishy?"

"She hooks up with you on a few cases, and now she's a psychic? Doesn't that kind of crap start when you're younger?"

"Usually. You think she's lying?"

"No, I think someone might be messing with her, you know, like how my brain is being hit with dreams."

"But hers are different, they're not nightmares, and they're, I dunno, more, uh, persistent?"

"Doesn't mean someone isn't pulling the strings, right?"

"What about you? Your dreams, I mean. The new ones."

Dean bit his lip. "They're not like the others, they don't wake me up or anything. Mostly they have names, I write 'em down, but the dreams themselves are dark and I can't always make anything out."

"Any names pan out?"

"After the first one nearly got me killed, I'm not keen on looking into the others."

"Then we'll look into them together," Sam said.

"You're not pissed?"

"I'm pissed, you're pissed, but let's face it. We might be brothers, but we're also grown men. So I vote we get over it and move on."

"I can do that, I think, but only if you let me play Zep."


End file.
